Would lowering handlebars make it easier to look back?

[Kizibu]

I'm a born again biker after 45 years. Gave up at 16, started again at 61. Almost three weeks and 100 miles into my new bike I'm still very wobbly when I look behind me... usually at a moment I especially don't want to wobble. Don't know who is frightened by my riding the most - me or the motorists I zigzag in front of.

I have a flat handlebar hybrid (or flattish) and sit fairly upright. I see pictures of bikes in which the seat is way above the handles whereas mine is the other way round. It is beginning to occur to me that this makes it necessary for me to turn my whole upper body to look back whereas if I was leaning forwards more, looking back might involve less body movement as I would be more looking down my side than over my upright shoulder. Does this make any sense? As I type this I'm bending over my desk right now taking sneaky looks down my flank/ behind me. Desks not wobbling anyway.

I have an adjustable ... er... thingy that the handlebars attach to. What is that bit? It seems to have 2 allen bolts in it to change the angle of the ...er ... handlebar bracket that sticks out forwards. I haven't attempted to alter the set up at all since I rode out of the shop. I suppose I find its reasonably comfortable as it is - but what would I know about what's comfortable or not? Might be even more comfortable with the saddle forward or backwards or bars up or down a bit. What are the usual effects of lowering the handlebars? Would it affect stability or ease of pedalling? Would I need to move the seat? Might all this have other disadvantages? Should I suck it an see?

 

[peanut]

'Would lowering handlebars make it easier to look back?'


yes you could look between your legs

just kiddin.
It sounds to me like you just need to develop a little more confidence by going out on the bike more. Why don't you get some mirrors for the bike like motorbikes have. That way you can concentrate on looking where you are going rather than where you've been Hope you are enjoying your cycling . Try to think about relaxing yourself more and grip the handlebars less tightly. Make sure you have a good pressure in the tyres or the bike will feel wobbly. The pressures are marked on the tyres.
Speed also has a lot to do with stabilty on two wheels. if you are riding slowly due to lack of confidence it will be harder to balance. Try a little more lickerdysplit

 

[iLB]

sounds like your saddle could be to low, u should almost be on tiptoes when ur are sitting with your feet down. as for the wobbling u should get better with confidence and more riding, when i was younger (say 13-14, now 17) nad was just starting to cycle on the road found it difficult to look behind without pulling to the left, but soon sorted tht out.

 

[Over The Hill]

I think a mirror is essential in modern fast traffic. You cannot rely on your ears if you have a loud car in front.

 

[Randochap]

+3 for mirror(s)

 

[Dave5N]

I think a mirror is essential in modern fast traffic. You cannot rely on your ears if you have a loud car in front.

Nonsense. Worry less about what's behind.

Part of the diffculty as we get older is a diminishing balance and also core strength - strength in the torso. I believe you will find as you ride more your confidence and balance will increase.

A useful excercise: when you are on a quiet lane, with no traffic, practice looking back. I t will help, I am sure.

 

[Kizibu]

I think a mirror is essential in modern fast traffic. You cannot rely on your ears if you have a loud car in front.

Anybody ever tried this?

http://www.bike-eye.com/new/product.shtml

 

[HF2300]

Anybody ever tried this?

That looks terrible! The idea of 'looking ... along the line of the frame under the leg' might sound brilliant to the inventor but in practice I think you'd find something - your leg, trousers, something on the rack if you have one, etc. will always get in the way, and you're having to drop your eyes further from the road in front than you would for bar mounted mirrors.

Having said that, I'd add another vote for decent mirrors, though, but be careful not to rely on them entirely - there's a lot of merit in looking back and making eye contact with following drivers.

I've not all that long restarted cycling / commuting after a long layoff and found I was very wobbly at first, exaggerated by riding a bike with low rake forks (which make the bike more twitchy). I found that stability increases and wobbles disappear very quickly. I'd practice looking back as others have suggested, and think about your 'looking back technique'.

You could also find somewhere quiet with obstacles or cones and practice cycling as slowly as you can round them to build stability and balance. On my way to work there's a place where two cycle paths cross at the bottom of a hill; to stop cyclists coming down the hill and flying across the junction there's a chicane formed by a pair of handrails. Trying to cycle between those at nearly a standstill in bottom gear builds balance very quickly!

As far as adjusting the stem goes, there are a number of reputable sites around the internet which will give you advice on bike set-up and geometry - I don't have links handy, but search for frame size, geometry etc. here and you'll find some. The reason bikes often tend to have the seat high relative to the bars is to put the rider in a more aerodynamic position to reduce the effort of pushing against the air at speed. That's why you'll see it much more on road (racing) bikes and the like, less on hybrids.

Outside certain basic rules, set-up and geometry is also a comfort and preference thing, as much as 'you should be in this exact position'. If you're fairly comfortable at the moment I'd have a look at the advice on bike sizing and then maybe make small changes around your existing position at most. Don't be afraid to use your LBS for thoughts and advice, if they're good.

I wouldn't drop your bars substantially, as that'll bring its own problems; I find being a bit old, stiff and achy that having too low a position gives me a neck ache from looking forwards, that a more upright position suits better these days. I think also that you'll find a lower body position makes it more difficult, not easier, to look back.

 

[peanut]

if you look at where the mirror is placed you will see that it would be quite impossible to see behind you. You sitting on the bike would be in the way.

You will need a mirror that fits to the handlebars and sticks out to the side on a rod sufficiently so that your arms and trunk do not obscure your view rearwards.

 

[peanut]

oops whats happening to the site today ? I just got a repeat PM this morning from 2 weeks ago now a double post lol hey ho

 

[tyred]

Practice and confidence will probably improve your balance and your ability to look behind. When I started cycling again after a lenghy gap, I found I had to move my handlebars up full to prevent a sore back. I now have them at the lowest possible setting and fiind it perfectly comfortable. I moved them down in 1/2 inch increments and if you want to lower the bars, I would recommend trying it about 1/2 - 1 inch at a time and go for a ride and see if it feels any better. All my bikes are old and have a quill type stem so I'm not sure how you adjust yours but when you are experimenting, put whatever allen keys you need in your pocket when you go for a ride and if it's too much, you can always stop and fine tune.

 

[BentMikey]

I'm another vote for not needing a mirror with a normal bike. Looking back is mostly a skill issue, and can be learnt. A mirror is an aide to looking back, not a replacement for it. (I know that there are obv. exceptions - some have back/neck problems and can't look back, or ride very low recumbents where a mirror is a good solution).

if you look at where the mirror is placed you will see that it would be quite impossible to see behind you. You sitting on the bike would be in the way.

It works fine, btw. You see between your legs basically.

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

I have a mirror at the end of my right hand bar. It's useful in traffic and I tend to glance in it every few seconds .. much as I would when in the car. It is NOT a substitute for a proper look behind and there's places on my commute when I'm contorting this way and that to make sure I'm clear behind before making a manouveur. But the mirror is handy as a supplement.

 

[numbnuts]

I’ve been using a mirror for a long time now as my right eye is knacked and when I try to look behind me I tend to pull out to the right not good in heavy traffic, with a mirror I’m more aware of what's around me at all times so I don’t get a sudden surprises coming up behind me

 

[HF2300]

It works fine, btw. You see between your legs basically.

Mikey, you tried one of these things?

...And aren't you too used to seeing between your legs on the 'bent anyway!